Teen do-gooders

Through March, Russell Lyons, 17, will be on a 10,000-mile “Do Good Adventure,” volunteering at teen-friendly organizations. ● Francis Parker student Liza Gurtin, 17, was honored with the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam award for chairing Positive Community Impact’s Walk for Water, which raised nearly $50,000 for clean water projects around the globe. ● Escondido residents Cole Preston and Michael Rosenburg, both 16, founded Alley Oops, an organization that cleans up neighborhoods and hosts basketball clinics.

Makeovers

Nearly five tons of trash was pulled from the San Diego River during Councilmember Lorie Zapf’s Mission Valley cleanup events. ● Former Massachusetts governor and GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney plans to tear down his La Jolla home and build one three times as big.

Charities

The New Children’s Museum 2011 Gala, “Carnaval do Rio” raised over $500,000 to expose students to the arts. ● In lieu of registering for wedding gifts, actress Sherri Shepherd asked for donations to local nonprofit Embrace, which places student volunteers in poor communities. ● Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora presented Voyage-Air acoustic guitars to 10 U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton, and played “Wanted Dead Or Alive” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.” ● $50K Total was raised by Phil’s BBQ for “Operation Bigs,” a Big Brothers Big Sisters program for kids with parents in the military.

Honored

The president and CEO of Scripps Health, Chris Van Gorder, was ranked No. 18 on Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare in the country. ● The Mexican Consulate in San Diego, through the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, presented the Ohtli Award to Andrea Skorepa, CEO and president of Casa Familiar. ● The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation named Ingrid Qua the 2011 Honorary Breast Cancer Survivor; she’ll be a spokesperson for the 15th Annual Race for the Cure Nov. 6 in Balboa Park.